Volume 13 | Issue 4
April 2022
|
|
Human trafficking in the news |
|
TAT releases a training film for movers and in-home delivery drivers |
|
|
Adding to its industry-specific training film library, TAT has just released a 23-minute training video for the more than 90,000 members of the moving industry and all other in-home delivery drivers. The video provides an understanding of what human trafficking is, how it might intersect with everyday jobs and the specific red flags drivers can be alert to as they move in and out of homes across North America.
The training features the experience of survivor-leader Liz Williamson and her story of being trafficked by her mother out of their family home. Multiple times in the course of her exploitation, home movers and other service industry-related people came into her home and would have seen multiple red flags indicating human trafficking if they’d known what to look for. Chief Tommie J. Reese, Sr., law enforcement coordinator of the Office of the Alabama Attorney General and a TAT Board member, shares information on what makes someone vulnerable to trafficking, additional red flags to look for, and, most importantly, the information law enforcement needs in order to activate investigation.
"For years, TAT has had partners in the moving and storage industry using our over-the-road trucking training video,” explained Laura Cyrus, TAT director of Corporate Engagement. “As many van lines perform cross-country moves, the original trucking training by TAT was certainly applicable, but we knew there was an additional piece to this complex issue, and that's what these men and women might be seeing inside homes. After hearing stories of movers suspecting they may have been moving brothels to then hearing stories from survivor-leaders about movers coming into the homes where they were exploited or the homes they were forced to live in with their trafficker, we knew there was an incredible opportunity to make another industry-specific training video.”
|
|
She continued, “We’re proud to offer this piece to our current partners in the moving industry and those that provide in-home delivery of goods. It’s my hope we’ll be able to activate many more companies and help yet another niche sector of transportation be part of driving change in the fight against human trafficking. I have no doubt that this training -- and our partners throughout the industry empowered by it -- will change lives. "
Overwhelming support and buy-in for this new training were garnered in late 2021 when Cyrus shared a short preview with some 450 agents and corporate employees from Atlas World Group. The impact of the preview fueled a fundraising effort that shot up from a goal of $2500 to nearly $120,000 in several days. Case studies from this training and other information garnered additional support and excitement to view the video when shared with the National Home Delivery Association and its leaders and members.
|
|
TAT’s law enforcement training team conducts trainings
across three states in March
|
|
|
TAT Deputy Director Kylla Lanier and TAT Training Specialist and Survivor-Leader Annika Huff provided 13 law enforcement trainings in March, traveling to Illinois, across Mississippi, to two cities in West Virginia and on to Albany, New York to train law enforcement officers from multiple agencies.
The team first traveled to Fairview, Illinois to train 30 members of the Illinois Southern Command. As a result of the training, they received opportunities to return and train at an additional four locations, including a statewide law enforcement conference. Moving on to Mississippi, Lanier and Huff trained 104 officers in Hattiesburg, Cleveland and Pearl.
|
|
From left: A.W. Ryan and R.R. Smith, officers with the West Virginia Public Service Commission, talk with Annika Huff following her presentation at the law enforcement training. |
|
Mississippi officers committed to visiting truck stops, bus terminals and trucking and bus companies in their jurisdictions with TAT training materials. The law enforcement coordinator for Northern Mississippi at the US Attorney's Office attended one of the training sessions and requested to work with TAT to bring training to the northern part of the state as well. Another law enforcement officer, who had attended a previous TAT law enforcement training in early 2020 and been inspired, shared that he has become certified as a human trafficking investigator and is working on becoming a Shared Hope International ambassador.
In West Virginia, the pair trained 19 officers at the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office in Martinsburg and then traveled to Dunbar to provide two trainings for 49 officers from multiple agencies, including the state’s Public Service Commission of which the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement is a part. The trainings resulted in additional invitations to return and train, as well as requests for more TAT material. In New York, at the end of the month, Lanier and Huff provided six four-hour trainings for the New York State Police.
Survey comments on the trainings included the following:
“Listening to her (Huff) speak was very powerful. I know this happens every day all around the world. It makes me want to make a difference in someone’s life. I will try hard to do my job better and help.”
“I was moved and motivated by both presenters to be more vigilant in identifying victims and traffickers.”
“The level of respect I now have for her (Huff) after her presentation is off the chart. Her level of courage is truly amazing. Thank you for opening my eyes to something I really had no idea was such a huge issue in today’s society.”
“Very interactive with us. I believe her (Lanier) energy towards the training is very good for learning. I love how passionate she is about how much of a problem trafficking is.”
|
|
Marathon Oil and Price Gregory learn more about human trafficking
through Empower Freedom
|
|
|
Kylla Lanier, TAT deputy director, and Ashley Smith, TAT director of Energy Operations, presented a Human Trafficking 201 for Marathon Oil employees in early March. Following an informal, guided Q&A session with the executive team, the 201 presentation began with an introduction by Lee Tillman, chairman, president and CEO of Marathon Oil, and a 15-minute human trafficking refresher from Micah Gamboa, executive director of Elijah Rising, a Houston-area, anti-trafficking NGO.
Conducted in a conversation-style format with two Marathon Oil employees, Mary Ellen Weylandt, manager of Social Responsibility and Stakeholder Engagement, and Kathleen Suave, manager of Communications and Social Impact, Lanier and Smith were able to address the topics that most commonly arise in conversations about the issue. These included conspiracy theories, the vulnerabilities that impact trafficking and how to decipher headlines and news stories associated with the issue. Approximately 255 employees, both in-person and through live stream to Marathon offices across the country, attended.
“Engaging in conversations like these is an important step to end human trafficking. Learning the realities of human trafficking and how to respond is one of the ways we’re using the size and reach of our company and industry to build safer communities where we live and work,” commented Tillman.
The following week, Smith also presented to 60 field superintendents and safety personnel at the 2022 Price Gregory Safety and Leadership Conference in San Antonio, Texas. There, she explained the realities of human trafficking and the specific training and actions that workers in the field could take to combat this crime.
Smith said, “With projects and operations across the US and Canada, the opportunity to activate these employees to recognize and report human trafficking was invaluable.”
|
|
|
Ashley Smith, TAT Energy Operations director (speaking), was one of four panel members at Marathon Oil. Other members (L to R) were: Mary Ellen Weylandt, Social Responsibility and Stakeholder Engagement manager; Kylla Lanier, TAT deputy director; and Kathleen Suave, Communications and Social Impact manager. |
|
Mid-America Trucking Show celebrates 50th anniversary |
|
|
After an absence due to Covid, TAT returned to the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky, March 24-27, in time to help celebrate the trucking show’s 50th anniversary. TAT staffers Susan Dold, TAT systems administrator, Brandy Belton, FDP director, Hillary Benanzer, data analyst, and Louie Greek, CB specialist, manned the exhibit, connected with old friends and current supporters and engaged more companies and people in the fight against human trafficking. They handed out 7,000 wallet cards and 3,000 window decals.
Dold said, “A big thank you to Walmart and First Call Logistics for providing volunteers for the event; they were instrumental in the success of our event!
|
|
|
Trafficking victims can and do come from all racial and ethnic groups. A 2020 report from the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services found that over 44% of human trafficking survivors served by agencies across the state were African American. The more we know about what human trafficking really looks like, the better we’ll be able to recognize a victim and make the call. Race does play a role.
|
|
|
April 2022 Calendar of Events |
|
|
April 3-7 – Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance Workshop, Bellevue, WA, Kylla Lanier, TAT deputy director, and Louie Greek, TAT Coalition Build (CB) specialist, attending
April 4-7 – FDP at UPS in Lawnside, NJ and Philadelphia and Willow Grove, PA, Susan Dold, TAT systems administrator, attending
April 7 – Atlas Canada Regional meeting virtual, Molly Griffiths, TAT Corporate Engagement manager, presenting
April 8 – FDP at Day and Ross, York, PA, Susan Dold, TAT systems administrator, attending
April 11-14 – Law enforcement training, New Brunswick, Canada, Kylla Lanier, TAT deputy director, and Annika Huff, TAT training specialist and survivor-leader, presenting
April 12 – FDP at Day and Ross, Brampton, Ontario, Brandy Belton, FDP director, attending
April 13-14 – FDP at UPS Canada, Brandy Belton, FDP director, attending
April 15 – Presentation of TAT Champion Award to Nebraska State Patrol, Lincoln, NE, Kylla Lanier, TAT deputy director, presenting
April 16 – FDP at Shawanaga First Nation Nobel, Ontario, Brandy Belton, FDP director, and Liz Williamson, TAT training specialist and survivor-leader, presenting
April 19 – Coalition Build, Toronto, Canada, Louie Greek, TAT CB specialist, and Liz Williamson, TAT training specialist and survivor-leader, presenting, and Matt Fuller, TAT Canada manager, and Brandy Belton, FDP director, attending
April 20 – Law enforcement training and meetings, Anchorage, AK, Kylla Lanier, TAT deputy director, and Annika Huff, TAT training specialist and survivor-leader, presenting
April 21-23 – FDP at Truck World in Canada, Mississauga, Ontario, Louie Greek, CB specialist, Matt Fuller, TAT Canada manager, and Brandy Belton, FDP director, attending
April 25-26 – TA Petro Expo, Sandusky, OH, Louie Greek, CB specialist, and Liz Williamson, TAT training specialist and survivor-leader, presenting
April 28 – New Jersey TransAction Conference, Atlantic City, NJ, Lexi Higgins, BOTL deputy director, presenting
|
|
|
Thank you to our copper level and above individual donors!
Platinum:
Andy and Karin Larsen
Gold:
Jonathan and Jill Lim, Bob Paris, DiAne Reed, Douglas Kegler, Anna McCoy
Silver:
Scott and Terry Koch, Anne & Merlin Namuth, Nicholas and Jane Nagel
Bronze:
Mark and Julie Mihevc, Chris Ripani, Stephanie Guindy, Runbeck/Mowat Fund, Ted Glickley, Grinnell Family
Copper:
Patti Gillette, Linda Burtwistle, Mike and Karen Kuykendall, Don Blake, Scott Perry, Amber Throckmorton, Dan and Emily Dykstra, Michael Nelson, Jacqueline Daves, Tod Kroon, Lou and Rhonda Leeburg, Charlton & Laura Wimberly, Judith Ridgley, The Moroun Family
|
|
TRUCKERS AGAINST TRAFFICKING | Website
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
